Lives of Eminent Zoologists, from Aristotle to Linnæus: with Introductory remarks on the Study of Natural History
Aristotle · en
obtaining her, had it not been for another friend, who laid
open his treachery. He has since paid dearly for his
conduct, by innumerable misfortunes.
"At last I came back, but still destitute of a maintenance.
The young lady was partial to me, and not to him. I settled
at Stockholm, the laughing-stock of every body on account of
my botany. No one cared how many sleepless nights and
toilsome hours I had passed, as all, with one voice,
declared that Siegesbeck had annihilated me. There was
nobody who would put even a servant under my care. I was
obliged to live as I could, in virtuous poverty. By very
slow degrees I began to acquire some practice. But now my
adverse fate took a sudden turn, and after so long a
succession of cloudy prospects the sun broke out upon me. I
emerged from my obscurity, obtained access to the great, and
every unfavourable presage vanished. No invalid could now
recover without my assistance. I began to get money, and was
busy in attendance on the sick, from four in the morning
till late in the evening; nor were my nights uninterrupted
by the calls of my patients. Aha! said I, Esculapius is the
giver of all good things; Flora bestows nothing upon me but
Siegesbecks! I took my leave of Flora; condemned my
too-numerous observations a thousand times over to eternal
oblivion; and swore never to give any answer to Siegesbeck.
"Soon afterwards, I was appointed first physician to the
navy. The magistracy immediately conferred upon me the
regius professorship, that I might teach botany in the seat
of government at Stockholm, with the addition of an annual
stipend. Then my fondness for plants revived. I was also
enabled to present myself to the bride to whom I had been
for five years engaged, and was honourably received as her
husband. My father-in-law, rather fond of his money, proved
not very liberal to me; but I can do without it, and those
who come after me will enjoy it.